Attorney General Andy Beshear and eastern Kentucky lawmakers are pushing for stronger protections for utility customers before a state regulatory agency. The legislation would the Public Service Commission broader authority to hold utilities more accountable when considering potential bill increases for Kentuckians. The legislation mandates the PSC consider whether proposed or current rates are affordable for residential customers, simplify bills by reducing the number and amount of charges, and require periodic management and operations audits of the Commonwealth’s largest utilities. While the legislation failed to pass in the 2018 General Assembly due to not being put on the agenda for the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Representatives Chris Harris and Angie Hatton are continuing to push for greater safeguards in Public Service Commission hearings.